Adjustable drawing board and support



Oct. 1957 R. e. PAPELIAN ETAL ,808,308

ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD AND SUPPORT Filed May 10, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Roger G. Papal/an Kennel/2 L Giacomuzzi Carl 0. Engs/rom IN V EN TORS BY ear/Wm; @M

Oct. 1., 1 R. e. PAPELIAN ElA-L. 2,808,308

ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD AND SUPPORT Filed May 10, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5 l I Roger G. Papal/en Kennel/1 L Giacomuzzi Carl 0. 095 from INVENTORJ" Oct. 1, 1957 R. G. PAPELiAN ET AL ,808, 08

ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD AND SUPPORT Filed May 10. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Roger G. Papa/an Kenneth L. iacomuzzl' Carl 0.Engsfr0m I zzvmvrozas 50 BY Q0132 m -Mm United, States Patent 2,808,308 AnrUsrABLE DRAWlNG-BGARD AND SUPPORT Roger G. Papelian and Kenneth L. Giacomuzzi, Milford,

and Carl 0. Engstrom, Leicester, Mass.; said Giacomnzzi and Engstrom assignors .to said Papelian Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,404 3 Claims. (Cl. 312231) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a drawing board and more specifically pertains to an improved combination table and desk together with a drawing board mounted thereon in a novel vertically adjustable manner.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a combined table and desk and drawing-or work board which shallhave a particularly advantageous cooperation between theelements making up the drawing board and desk and thereby produce an improved article having a superior manner of functioning for either use.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a combined desk and drawing board animproved mounting of the drawing board whereby the latter may be readily vertically adjusted upon the desk with a minimum of efiort and attention" on the part of the user.

A still further object ofthe invention is.to provide an article of the .character above set forth in which the drawers of the desk may be readily accessible from either side of the same, whereby the desk may be utilized for its normal functioning and access may be readily had to the drawers during such use.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an article as set forth in the foregoing objects in which the drawing board is mounted upon the desk structure in such a manner as to enable the user to vertically adjust the same by the simple touch of a finger thereon, the drawing board being supported and resiliently maintained in vertical adjustment by an improved construction and mounting of various types of springs.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an article in conformity with the preceding objects in which commercially available and known conventional types of "spring devices such as spring reels, torsion springs and the like may be provided for supporting a drawing board in a manner wherein the springs will be compactly and unobtrusively mounted, yet will most effectively apply their supporting tension to the drawing board.

And a final specific object of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a combined drawing board and desk combination which may be fabricated from inexpensive materials, yet will be exceptionally sturdy in construction, attractive in appearance and highly satisfactory in performance.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter de scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numeralsrefer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure .1 is a perspective view of a combined desk and drawing board constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, the view being taken from the front view of the drawing board and showing the manner in which the latter is available for use at all times, the desk drawers being open below the board to show the accessibility of drafting materials which may be received therein;

ice

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and showing certain structural details of the desk and the manner in which the drawing board is mounted-thereon;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the resilient supporting and adjusting-means for the drawing board;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure l but showing the rear side. of the drawing board and the manner in which the desk is available for use at all times;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 2 and indicating in dotted lines the position of the drawers of the desk;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section showing the manner in which the resilient spring reel is mounted upon the desk, rail structure supporting the drawing board;- A

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail of a spring device which is of a commercially. available spring reel type;

Figure 8 isa fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the construction of Figure 4, but showing a different spring device applied thereto; and,

Figure 9 is a perspective view, parts being broken away of a spiral spring construction employed in the assembly of Figure 8. i i

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 10 designates generally theirnproved combined desk and drawing board inaccordance with the principles of this invention, the same including a desk or table structure indicated generally by the numeral 12 and upon which is adjustably mounted in a manner. to. be subsequently set forth a drawing board 14. The drawing boardmay be of any known and. conventional design having a pencil tray 15, the invention being especially applicable to arelatively large drafting board of such size as to customarily require the draftsman tochange hisposition and to alternately stand, stoop or sit during his use of. the same.

Referringfirst to thetable and desk 'unit 12 of the improved article, it will be seen that the desk includes a fiat table or desktop 16. of any suitable character and which is supported at the upper ends of a pair of front legs 18 and which is also supported intermediate the ends of a pair of inclined members 20 constituting rear legs of the desk and supports for the drawing board structure as set forth hereinafter. A pair of leg braces 22 connect the lower portions of the leg members 18 and 20, and any suitable system of cross-bracing as at 24 is secured to the previously mentioned members for the purpose of rigidifying and strengthening the same.

Although the invention is not limited thereto, it is particularly'advantageous to form the framework of the article of suitable wooden pieces with mortise and tenon joints, bolts and/or any other suitable fastening means as desired.

A pair ofirails 26 have their lower ends secured to cross members 28 which are secured to the underside of the desk surface 16 and adjacent the side edges of the same, and have their upper. ends secured to the upper ends of the members 20.

As will be bestyapparent from Figure 4, a transverse bracing bar' 28 is connected at the upper portions of the rails 26 and a pair of side members 30 are secured to the sides of the rails to increase the width of the upper inclined face of the same; f v

It will thus be seen that the members 26, 28 and 39 form a substantially rectangular framework lying in an inclined plane and which support the undersurface of the work board 14 in an inclined p osition for the convenience oftheuserfi Slidably mounted upon the upper 'surfaceof the desk or table 16, as by supportingrails 3,2, are a'pairpof trays ,veniently. serve to support sheets of tracing paper or the like for the use of the draftsman, various drafting equipment and tools, and the other drawer may serve any other similar useful'purpose.

Although as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the drawers 34 and 36 have flanged front faces 38 thereon, together with drawer pulls 40, it is to be understood that these drawers may be so constructed that they may be opened from either or both sides of the desk. By this means the draftsman, with the drawing board disposed in its uppermost position as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, can have convenient access to the drawers and to the equipment disposed therein; while when the deskis being employed,

from the right side of the showing in Figure 4, the

drawers will beaccessible from that side whether the drawing board is raised or lowered. The drawers thus serve the dual function of supplying the desk or the drawing board selectively when they are in use.

It is the primary purpose and intent of this invention to provide a means whereby the drawing board may be readily slid or adjusted vertically upon the supporting rails 26 and the members 30secured thereto. For that purpose, a resilient supporting and adjusting means is provided for each side of the drawing board. This supporting means conveniently comprises a suitable casing or housing 42, adapted to be secured to the inside surface of the side rail 26 as by appropriately notching or recessing the rail member 30, through the agency of carriage bolts or the like 44. These casings include a smooth 7 a 4 A permit passage therethrough of a spiral spring 76; The latter has its upper end anchored in the cylinder in any suitable manner, and preferably in a manner which will permit the same to be adjusted to vary the tension of the spring device. The lower end of the spring is provided with an eye or aperture 78 by means of which the same may be attached to a lower portion of the drawing board 14. V t

In this form of spring device the convolutions or turns of'the spiral spring which consists of a metallic, flexible, resilient-strip, are at all times spaced from each other to avoid rubbing contact. Thus, when the drawing board is pushed downwardly the coils are longitudinally extended in the manner shown inFigure 8, thereby additionally tensioning the spring. It is preferred to adjust the spring tension to such an extent that it will exactly balance the weight of the drawing board whereby the latter may be adjusted by finger tip pressure of the operator.

Since the spring devices of Figures 7 and 9 are of a commercially available and well known type, and may be purchased upon the open market, a further description 7 of the same is deemed to be unnecessary.

flat plate-like flange 46 upon their upper surfaces, which other fastener 54 may be secured to the back side of the work board 14 adjacent the lower edge of the same. The tape is conveniently disposed closely adjacent to its corresponding rail whereby the same is mounted in an unobtrusive manner.

V Disposed within the casing 42 .is a cylindrical drum or reel 56 of any desired character upon which the upper end of the flexible tape isattached and by which the tape is adapted to be wound, there being provided a coiled spring of the clockwork type 58 having one end secured a stationary arbor or shaft 60 and its other end attached to the reel inner surface. This spring is so mounted that the same will resiliently urge the reel in a direction to wind up the tape thereon. This spring is of suflicient strength to just compensate for the weight of the drawing board whereby the latter will be resiliently retained in anyselected vertically adjusted position, but may be vertically moved upwardly or downwandly upon its supporting rails by the touch of a finger of the operator.

By this invention, the user may readily adjust the board by the touch of a finger tip to its desired vertical position, this requiring a minimum of effort and attention upon the part of the user and thus oifering theminimum of interference with the operators useof the drawing board. In this way the proper portion of the board will be presented for the user whereby the latter will not need to change his position asuby standing, stooping or bending in order to work at different portions of the board.

Attention is next directed to Figures 8 and 9 in which a modified springdevice, which is of a commercially available and known type, may be utilized to support the, drawing board. The spring devicev illustrated herein consists of a cylinder which is closed atxits top end as at 72 and has an open bottom end.' A strap or clamp 74 is provided by'means of which the cylinder is secured to the members 26 and 30 of the frame work of the article as illustrated in Figure 8. In this position the open end;

of the cylinder is disposed downwardly, and serves to From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerousmodifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordinglyall suitable modifications and equivalents may be. resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A combined desk and work board comprising a desk, rails inclined upwardly from said desk, at work board slidably received for substantially vertical move ment upon said railsand disposed in an inclined position for convenient use, resilient means mounted on the rails and connected with the work board adjacent the lower end of the same for yieldingly supporting and maintaining the board in vertically adjusted positions upon said rails while permitting easy vertical movement of said board to different vertically adjusted positions, said resilient means including spring biased reels and tapes connecting said reels to said work board, the lower ends of said rails terminating at and being secured to the outer edge of said disk whereby the work board may be selectively positioned with its lower edge substantially level with the desk and substantially below the level of the desk, said tapes lying beside said reels in their extended positions, said reels being mounted in housings said housings having flanges disposed flush with the surface of said rails upon which said work board slides, said housings being secured to sides of said rails.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a pair of inclined supports secured at the upper endsto said rails and secured intermediate their ends to the desk.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said desk includes drawers, said drawers being openable from either side of said desk, said drawers being disposed beneath the lower edge of said work board in the upper position of the latter whereby access may be had to said drawers with the work board in its upper position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,257,495 Krueger Feb. 26, 1918 1,507,384 Knowlton Sept. 2, 1924 1,774,236 Ohnstrand Aug. 26, 1930 1,949,521 Wilhelm Mar. 6, 1934 2,674,508 Richardson Apr. 6, 1954 FOREIGN. PATENTS 18,210 Australia May 2, 1935 1,029,882, France Mar. 11, 1953 

